pettychaps en · NOUN
Etymology
Uncertain. Probably imitative of the bird’s call, with influence from petty (“small”) and either chap (“jaw; bill of a bird”) or chap (“person”). Alternatively, perhaps directly from petty (in turn from Middle English pety (“tiny”)) and chaps (“jaws”). Attested from the 1670s.
Meanings
- Any of several species of small European passerine songbirds, including the willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus), the chiffchaffs (Phylloscopus spp.), and the western Orphean warbler (Sylvia hortensis).
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| pettychaps | Number=Plur | lexicographic |